The present invention relates generally to laser instruments and, more particularly, to a mounting arrangement for use with a laser scanner which projects a laser light beam in a scan pattern to facilitate finding a label on a package and reading the symbols on the label.
A wide variety of laser scanners have been designed to read bar code labels used on a broad range of retail packages for check-out and inventory purposes at the point of sale for grocery stores and other high volume transaction businesses. One such laser scanner provided by the assignee of the present invention is disclosed in another patent application assigned to the assignee, U.S. Ser. No. 142,083, filed Jan. 11, 1988. The scan pattern produced by this scanner is capable of finding and reading labels in as many orientations as possible. The basic requirement for using laser scanners at the point of sale is that the store check-out clerk, whether experienced or inexperienced, should not have to worry about the orientation of the label as the package is passed through the scan pattern. This scanner is advantageously oriented in a vertical orientation.
FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a sales clerk or operator C using a vertically oriented laser scanner S at a check-out counter to scan a label L, more particularly a bar code label, on a package or product P'. The laser scanner S comprises a housing H, a window W positioned at the front FT of the scanner S, and an optical system or optical parts (not shown) within the housing H. The clerk C manually moves the package P' toward the window W of the scanner S in a direction indicated by an arrow A. The scanner S projects a laser light beam in a scan pattern (not shown) through the window W to find the bar code label L on the package P, and read the symbols thereon. The scanner S causes the laser light beam to rapidly sweep through a series of scan lines which collectively form the scan pattern to read the label L. The scan pattern is formed to achieve a high probability that at least one set of perpendicularly intersecting scan lines will cross a label to provide a successful scan by the laser scanner S.
A problem arises in providing scanners in the vertical orientation illustrated in FIG. 1. The majority of scanners produced are designed for a horizontal orientation in which the scanner is situated within a rectangular opening in the counter top with the window W generally flush with the counter top. Providing a vertically oriented scanner requires a redesigned scanner housing, adding to the expense of manufacturing such a scanner.
Accordingly, it is seen that there is a need for a scanner mounting arrangement which is capable of vertically mounting a scanner of the type which is normally mounted horizontally, without requiring significant modifications to be made to the scanner housing.